Zonal cleaning system for transport containers
A zonal cleaning system for a hopper trailer. The zonal cleaning system includes a controlled air supply that has air tanks with outlet valves operating sequentially and cyclically for a predetermined amount of time. Upper rail assemblies are positioned relatively about and mounted to the upper portion of the sidewalls and each connects to one of the outlet valves. The upper rail assemblies have nozzles directionally oriented and the sidewall rail assemblies each have a fluid delivery line connecting to one of the outlet valves. One or more drop-down segments connects to the fluid delivery line, and each of the drop-down segments has a nozzle manifold with one or more nozzles. Activation of the controlled air supply expels air sequentially and cyclically through each of the upper rail assemblies and each of the sidewall rail assemblies.
1 . A zonal cleaning system for a hopper trailer having sidewalls with an upper portion and inclined bottom surfaces converging inwardly toward an open chute, the zonal cleaning system comprising:
a controlled air supply including outlet valves configured to operate sequentially and cyclically for a predetermined amount of time;
one or more upper rail assemblies and mounted adjacent or at the upper portion of the sidewalls, each of the one or more upper rail assemblies fluidly coupled to one of the outlet valves and including nozzles directionally oriented downward alongside and angularly inward toward the sidewalls; and
a plurality of domed nozzles wherein each domed nozzle is fluidly coupled to the controlled air supply and configured to extend through an inclined bottom surface of the hopper trailer.
2 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more end wall rail assemblies each fluidly coupled to a corresponding one of the outlet valves and having second nozzles directionally oriented to substantially coincide with the incline bottom surfaces.
3 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the controlled air supply is in fluid communication with one or more air reservoirs and an air brake supply line extending from an onboard air compressor associated with a tractor-trailer brake system.
4 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller operably coupled to the outlet valves to control and regulate air flow through each of the one or more upper rail assemblies and the plurality of domed nozzles via control of the outlet valves.
5 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 4 , wherein each of the outlet valves includes a normally-closed solenoid valve coupled to an onboard power source and the controller, and wherein each normally-closed solenoid valve is opened sequentially and cyclically for a predetermined amount of time.
6 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 1 , and further comprising one or more end wall rail assemblies each fluidly coupled to the controlled air supply and having second nozzles directionally oriented to expel fluid on one of the incline bottom surfaces.
7 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 1 , and further comprising one or more drop-down segments fluidly coupled to a fluid delivery line and extending downward along the sidewalls, each of the drop-down segments including a nozzle manifold having one or more nozzles, wherein activation of the controlled air supply is configured to forcibly expel air sequentially and cyclically through each of the upper rail assemblies and drop-down segments.
8 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein each domed nozzle is configured to extend through an inclined bottom surface of the hopper trailer.
9 . A zonal cleaning system for a hopper trailer for a hopper trailer having sidewalls with an upper portion and inclined bottom surfaces comprising:
an air reservoir;
a controlled air supply in fluid communication the air reservoir;
a plurality of rail assemblies in fluid communication with the controlled air supply, wherein each rail assembly of the plurality of rail assemblies is disposed on the upper portion with nozzles configured to direct air onto a sidewall;
and
a plurality of domed nozzles configured to be disposed and arranged in the hopper trailer, wherein each of the plurality of domed nozzles extends through a planar surface of the hopper trailer, and wherein each domed nozzle is fluidly coupled to the controlled air supply and includes a 360-degree dispersion pattern.
10 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 9 , wherein the controlled air supply includes a plurality of outlet valves and each rail assembly of the plurality of rail assemblies is connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of outlet valves, wherein each outlet valve of the plurality of outlet valves is opened sequentially and cyclically for a predetermined amount of time.
11 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 10 , wherein each outlet valve of the plurality of outlet valves is connected to a wireless controller and the wireless controller operates the plurality of outlet valves for a predetermined amount of time to allow air to flow from the air reservoir into and through the plurality of rail assemblies.
12 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 9 , wherein the air reservoir is configured to receive air from an air compressor.
13 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 12 , wherein the air compressor is an onboard air compressor operably associated with a trailer brake system of a semi-trailer truck.
14 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 13 , wherein the air reservoir is isolated from the trailer brake system.
15 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of domed nozzles includes three domed nozzles, and wherein the three domed nozzles are oriented to discharge compressed air on different portions of planar surfaces within the hopper trailer.
16 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 9 , further comprising an injector line connected in-line with each of the plurality of rail assemblies, wherein the injector line is connected to a fluid supply to allow pressurized fluid to enter into and feed each of the rail assemblies.
17 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 9 , further comprising a box manifold connected to the air reservoir and including a plurality of outlet valves, wherein each outlet valve of the plurality of outlet valves is connected to a fluid delivery line of corresponding one of the plurality of rail assemblies.
18 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 17 , wherein each outlet valve of the plurality of outlet valves on the box manifold includes a normally-closed solenoid valve electrically coupled to an onboard power source and a controller, and wherein each normally-closed solenoid valve is opened sequentially and cyclically for a predetermined amount of time to allow air flow through the normally-closed solenoid valve.
19 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 9 , and further comprising at least some nozzles are positioned and configured to periodically expel air along an overhead tarp of the hopper trailer to remove material from the overhead tarp.
20 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 9 , wherein the rail assemblies include a fluid delivery line fluidly coupled to the controlled air supply and a drop-down segment is fluidly coupled to each fluid delivery line and configured to extend into the hopper trailer along a wall of the hopper trailer.
21 . The zonal cleaning system of claim 20 , further comprising a nozzle manifold operably coupled to the drop-down segment, wherein the nozzle manifold includes at least two nozzles positioned and arranged to expel air along the wall of the hopper trailer.